Table for hospital beds



July 2, 1929.

B. MCINTOSH TABLE FOR HOSPITAL BEDS Filed Feb. 1,8, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l l l I l l n s i, J S 3 @j 27 Z nvm/woz AJuly 2, 1929.

B. MclNTosH 1.719.614

TABLE FOR HOSPITAL BEDS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2V Filed Feb. 18, 1928 Patented July 2, 1929.

UNITED STATES l1,719,614 PATENT OFFICE.

BURTNETT McIN'rosH, 0F FLORAL PARK, NEW YORK, AssIGNoR '.ro FRANK A. HALL f a soNs, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

TABLE FOR HOSPITAL EDS.

Application led February 18, 1928.

Anything resting on a patients lap soon be- Around hospitals a comes uncomfortable. common expedient 1s a table supported at one r side from a heavy base extending Aunder the bed and removable when not in use. Such a common construction takes up an unnecessary amount of space when not in use and is objectionable especially in modern hospitals `where space is at a premium either in the wards or in private rooms7 for the roomsare .generally small and with no space available for storage of bulky articles. Under this invention these disadvantages are overcome 'u and a comfortable table supportprovided which is capable vof being folded up out of the way when not in use.

According to this invention a tabl-e is .supported from the bed, is adjustable'in height,

longitudinal position, and angle of inclination7 yet adapted to be swung to a substantially upright position over the head of the bed when not wanted.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 illustrates this invention applied to a hospital bed withrthe table in use.

Fig. 2 is a' detail-showing the manner of attaching a table to the sides of the bed. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. Fig. 4 is a section' on the line 4-4 of Fig. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 shows a portion of the underside o the table. Fig.

i 4shows the non-rotatable screw for i clamping the table on tlie'underside.

Fig. 8 is a perspective'showing a modified form of the invention.l

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the structure of Fig. 8. f

Fig. 10 is a `longitudinal section through the parts shown in Fig. 9. l'

Fig. 11 is a section on line 11-11 of Fig. 9.

Fig. 12 is a section on line 12-12 of Fig. 9.

The bed 10 illustrated isof the usual hospital type although it will be understood Serialk No. 255,215.

that this invention may be applied to beds of other types. The table 11 is carried by the supporting yoke 12. A guide member 14 extends longitudinally along each side member 13 of the bed and is secured thereto at each end by clamps 15 fas shown in Fig. 3,. The ,clamps 15 are'prei'erably of a shape adapted to engage the side member 18 whether ofiron or Wood andwhatever shape it be. Mounted on each guide member 14 are clamps 16V and 19 heldin adjusted position by means of the tightening screws and wing nuts 18 and 2O respectively. These clampsglG and 19 are preferably permanently secured on 4the guide members 14 in the embodiment illustrated and the guide members 14 maybe mounted 'by means of the clamps 15,V although it Awill be understood that clamps 16'and 19 may be made removable and may be shaped to lit the bed side members13 so as to do away with Each end of the yoke 12 is secured to the ypivots 17 lon the clamps '16. 4Pivotally s e-` cured/tothe clamp 19 at 21 is a brace 22 also pivoted to the yoke at 23. longitudinal positionof the clamps 16 and 19 the table 11 and the yoke 1,2 maybe moved longitudinally of the bed to suit the patients needs. By adjusting the spacing between I By Aadj usting the the clamps 16 and'19 the height of the table j j 11 is controlled. Preferably a brace 22 is used on each side'lof th-e table although it will be seen that if desired abrace on only one side may be made suliiciently rigid.l

Vhen not in use the table may bev moved to an out-of-the-way position by loosening. the

. clamp 19 and sliding it toward clamp 16 with the result that the table is raised and swung over the head of the bed into the position shown by dotted lin-es in Fig. 2. To prevent uthe table and yokefrom tilting too far beyond the bed a spacing member 24 is applied over the guide member 14 so as to prevent the clamp 19 being moved closerto clamp 16 than is shown in the drawing with the result 'that the spacer 24 and bracing member 22 con tribute to hold the table and yoke in the upright position illustrated by the dotted lines.

The table 11 is secured on the cross bar of the yoke 12 by means of spaced guides or bearings 25 and 26 which in the embodiment illustrated comprise recessed angle members of short length. Intermediate these bearings is the means for clamping the table at the desired inclination which comprises a pair of spaced angle irons 28 forming a channel 27 between them as shown in Fig. G. A pin 30 passing between the sides ot the channel pivotally secures the clamp 29 in position. Clamp 29 passes around under the yoke 12 and when tightened holds the vyoke firmly against the guide bearings 25 and 2G. For tightening the yoke 29 the screw 31 is provided which has a head 33 countersunk into the table while a square shank 3st non-rotatably secures the screw in the channel 27. rThe end portion ot the screw engaging the wing nut 32 is threaded so that this nut may tighten the clamp 29 against the yoke 12 and maintain the table 11 in adjusted position.

lith the table in out-of-the-way position over `the head of the bed the clamp 19 need not be tightened inasmuch as gravity acting on the` table and yoke is sutiicient to maintain the table in position and the clamp 19 against the spacer 24, but to avoid accidental lowering of the table in case ot jar it may be advisable to tighten the clamp 10 on at least Vone side ot the bed.

In the form illustrated in Fig. S the yoke arm and table are similar to those already described, but the manner of mounting them on the bed is different, In this case the clamps 16 and 19 are slidably mounted on the slide rails 35, which are held in a position spaced laterally from the side members 13. A stop arm 36 is hinged to one ot the clamps 16, the forward end of arm 3G being Jformed with a plurality of holes 37 for adjustable connection with a slide 38 mounted on the slide rail 35. A spacer 39 is also slidably mounted on rail 35 between the clamps 16 and This type of mount-ing provides for convenientadjustment with simplified', control. Thus by changing the connection of the slide 38 with the holes 37 the height of the table above the bed may be varied. Once the slide 38 is secured to a eert-ain hole ot' the series 37 the table `is lixed at a certain height, but due to the sliding mounting ot the clamps 16 and 19, and slide 33, the table can easily be moved backward and forward by the patient. The spacer 39 acts to limit the movement of the table to its out-ot-the-way position after the arm 36 has been released from the slide 38.

I claim:

1. A table structure adapted for attachment to a bed, comprising a pivot located on each side of the bed, a yoke connecting said pivots and shaped to extend over the bed, a table clamped on said yoke, a guide member longitudinally extending adjacent each pivot,

'a clamp adjustably positioned on each guide member, a brace pivotally secured to each clamp and to said yoke between said pivot and thetable, said clamp being movable along said guide t0 adjust the height of the table.

2. A table structure adapted for attachment to a bed, comprising a pivot located on each side of the bed7 a yoke connecting said pivots and shaped to extend over the bed, a table clamped on said yoke, a guide member longitudinally extending adjacent each pivot, a clamp adjustably positioned on each guide member, a brace pivotally secured to each clamp and to said yoke between said pivot and the table, said clamp being movable along said guide to adjust the height et the table, and a. spacer' member on each guide niember between the pivot and clamp to limit'their minimum spacing.

3. A table structure adapted :tor attachment to a bed, comprising a pivot located on each side of the bed, a yoke connecting said pivots and shaped to extend over the bed, a table pivotally clamped on said yoke, a guide member longitudinally extending adjacent each pivot, a clamp adjustably positioned on each guide member, a brace pivotally secured to each clamp and to said yoke between said pivot and the table, said clamp being movable along said guide to adjust the height ot the table, said yoke being' of general U- shaped and each arm being L-shaped so that when the main body ot `the yoke is substantially upright the portion ot' the yoke secured to the pivots extends longitudinally ot the bed.

al. A table structure adapted for attachment to a bed, comprising a pivot located on each side of the bed, a yoke connecting said pivots and shaped to extend over the bed, a table pivotally clamped on said yoke, a guide member longitudinally extending adjacent each pivot, a clamp adjustably positioned on each guide member, a brace pivotally secured te each clamp and to said yoke between said pivot and the table, said clamp being movable along said guide to adjustthe height of the table, and means for clamping each guide member to a longitudinal side member of the bed.

5. A table structure adapted for attachment to a bed, comprising a pivot located on each side ot the. bed, a yoke connecting said pivots and shaped to extend over the bed, a table clamped on said yoke, a guide member longitudinally extending adjacent each pivot, a clamp adjustably positioned on each guide member, a brace pivotally secured to each clamp and to said yoke between said pivot and the table, said clamp being inevable along said guide to adjust. the height of the table, and a spacer on said guide member between the pivot and clamp and of a length to maintain the table and yoke substantially upright at one end of the bed when the clamp is moved toward said pivot.

6. A table structure adapted for attachment to a bed, comprising a yoke, means for securing said yoke to a bed adjacent one end to permit the yoke to beheld substantially upright or to extend longitudinally over and across the bed, a table on the portion of the yoke extending across the bed, means for tiltably clamping said table to said yoke, said last mentioned means comprising a channel beneath the table, a clamp pivoted in said channel, extending around the yoke, and mechanism also located in said channel for tightening the clamp about the yoke.

7. A table structure adapted for attachment to a bed, comprising asupporting bar therefor passing across the table beneath the same, spaced bearings for pivotally supporting said table on said bar, means for clamping the table in adjusted position comprising spaced angle irons forming a channel, a clamp pivotally secured in said channel, shaped around said bar, a screw non-rotatably held in said channel and a nut engaging said clamp and screw for tightening the clamp on the bar.

8. A table structure adapted for attachment to a bed, comprising a table, means for supporting the table from the-bed comprising a guide member along each side of the bed, clamps securing each guide member to a side member of the bed, longitudinally adjustable clamps on each guide member', a yoke pivotally secured to one clamp and carrying the table, a brace pivotally secured to the other clamp on each guide member and connected to the yoke intermediate the table and the yoke pivot, and a spacer over said guide member between the two clamps' for limiting swinging movement of the yoke over an end of the bed.

9. A table structure adapted for attachment to a bed, comprising a table, means for supporting the table from the bed comprising slide rails secured along the sides of the bed, a pair of clamps slidably mounted on the rails, a yoke hinged to the clamps, a second pair of clamps slidably mounted on the rails, brace arms hinged to the second pair of clamps and to the yoke, an adjusting arm attached to one of the irst-named clamps and extending beyond one of the second-namedA clamps, and a slide on the rail and adapted to be adjustably secured to the end of the adjusting arm. y

l0. A table structure adapted for attachment to abed, comprising a table, means for supporting thetable from the bed comprising slide rails secured along the sides of the bed, a pair of clamps slidably mounted on the rails, a yoke hinged to the clamps, a second pair of clamps slidably mounted on the rails, brace arms hinged to the second pair of clamps and to the yoke, an adjusting arm attached to one of the first-named clamps-and extending beyond one ofthe second-named clamps, a slide on the rail and adapted to be adjustably secured to the end of the adjusting arm, and a spacer on the slide rail between one of the first-named clamps and one of the second-named clamps. In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

BURTNETT MGINTOSH. 

